Thai coach's few English words go long way as he drives Lady Eagles to victory

Alyssa Valdez, the lone remnant of Ateneo's 'Fab Four' core from last season, says by her count the only words Thai coach Anusorn 'Tai' Bundit can speak during games are four, namely 'heart,' 'strong,' 'happy,' and 'no problem.' Jerome Ascano

ATENEO star Alyssa Valdez said she can count with the fingers in her spiking hand the English words in the vocabulary of the Lady Eagles' Thai coach.

Yet those few words have gone a long way in inspiring the Lady Eagles to victory after victory.

With Thai Anusorn 'Tai' Bundit plotting Ateneo's attack from the sidelines while mumbling those few English words during animated huddles, the Lady Eagles have gone on a magical run that saw them reach the UAAP women's volleyball finals for the third successive time.

This latest finals appearance, though, is the most unexpected of all for the Lady Eagles, who, after last season's finals loss to nemesis De La Salle, not only lost coach Roger Gorayeb as well as most in the 'Fab Four' core that had turned Ateneo into a volleyball power in the league.

More surprising is the fact that the Lady Eagles have somehow survived three do-or-die games in the playoffs - two against the Santiago sisters-powered National University - despite the obvious language barrier between them and their coach.

Valdez, the lone remnant of the 'Fab Four' core from last season, said by her count the only words 'Tai' can speak during games are four, namely 'heart,' 'strong,' 'happy,' and 'no problem.'

Recently named Ms. Volleyball by the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA), Valdez said the communication gap can be frustrating at times, but coach and team somehow feel a connection, thanks to the game.

The Lady Eagles wobbled during a stretch when Bundit had to go back to Thailand to attend to his duties as coach of the country's Team B training squad.

But Ateneo has no doubt been reinvigorated since Bundit's return, winning seven straight games in a run capped by Saturday afternoon's 25-22, 8-25, 25-19, 25-22 win over the twice-to-beat Lady Bulldogs that set it up for a title rematch against three-time champion La Salle.

In all, Bundit, absent during the Lady Eagles' two losses to La Salle during the season, has dropped just one game with Ateneo all season - the opening-day loss to the NU Lady Bulldogs.

On second thoughts, Valdez said it was good the 46-year-old Bundit only knows a few Tagalog words. Otherwise the Lady Eagles would've gotten a mouthful from their coach during their struggles, she added.